McNair Named ESS Employee of the Year

Mount Olive resident Brenda McNair was so surprised when her name was called as the Ellisville State School “2015 Employee of the Year” during a recent luncheon, she could not move.

“I knew I was supposed to get up and go to the front to receive my award, but I just sat there in shock,” she said following the event. “I started trembling because I was so nervous.”

Suddenly, a co-worker who was seated at the same table as she was seated, came to her rescue. He got up, took her by the arm and told her he would escort her to the front.

“I didn’t know him, but he was a nice young man,” said McNair. “He had come to our table earlier and asked if he could sit with us. God had him there just for me.”

Bay Springs resident Jerry Keyes, a direct support professional, was McNair’s rescuer. An Employee of the Month winner for January 2015, Keyes was among employees vying for Employee of the Year honors.

Each year a special awards committee selects five direct support employees from various programs and units to receive Employee of the Year honors. The five winners were selected from more than 60 direct support professionals who were chosen as Employee of the Month winners in 2015. The committee then selected the overall winner – Ms. McNair – from the group. Other winners from their respective programs were Erika Henderson, Laurel; Abe Keyes, Laurel; Danielle Brown, Lumberton; and Cathy Norsworthy, Waynesboro.

ESS Director Rinsey McSwain said McNair is well deserving of the honor that was bestowed on her. McSwain described McNair as “very dedicated and devoted, self-motivated, dependable” and one who takes her job seriously.

Mount Olive resident Brenda McNair was so surprised when her name was called as the Ellisville State School “2015 Employee of the Year” during a recent luncheon, she could not move.

“I knew I was supposed to get up and go to the front to receive my award, but I just sat there in shock,” she said following the event. “I started trembling because I was so nervous.”

Suddenly, a co-worker who was seated at the same table as she was seated, came to her rescue. He got up, took her by the arm and told her he would escort her to the front.

“I didn’t know him, but he was a nice young man,” said McNair. “He had come to our table earlier and asked if he could sit with us. God had him there just for me.”

Bay Springs resident Jerry Keyes, a direct support professional, was McNair’s rescuer. An Employee of the Month winner for January 2015, Keyes was among employees vying for Employee of the Year honors.

Each year a special awards committee selects five direct support employees from various programs and units to receive Employee of the Year honors. The five winners were selected from more than 60 direct support professionals who were chosen as Employee of the Month winners in 2015. The committee then selected the overall winner – Ms. McNair – from the group. Other winners from their respective programs were Erika Henderson, Laurel; Abe Keyes, Laurel; Danielle Brown, Lumberton; and Cathy Norsworthy, Waynesboro.

ESS Director Rinsey McSwain said McNair is well deserving of the honor that was bestowed on her. McSwain described McNair as “very dedicated and devoted, self-motivated, dependable” and one who takes her job seriously.